In Springfield, Illinois, a federal judge has deemed a state law prohibiting the concealed carry of firearms on public transit as unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston in Rockford made the ruling last Friday in favor of four gun owners who challenged the law in 2022, arguing that not being able to carry weapons on buses and trains infringed upon their Second Amendment right to self-defense.
The judge based his decision on a significant U.S. Supreme Court case from 2022, which established that gun laws must align with conditions present in the late 1700s when the Bill of Rights was drafted, and at that time there were no restrictions on where weapons could be carried.
Illinois, which was the last state in the nation to approve concealed carry in 2013, enacted a law that specified several places where firearms were prohibited, including public arenas, hospitals, buses, and trains.
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul stated via a spokesperson that he is evaluating the ruling and is likely to file an appeal. He advised gun owners to adhere to concealed-carry regulations until a final decision is reached in the case, emphasizing that Judge Johnston’s ruling applies solely to the four individuals who brought the lawsuit.
